Men’s League All-Stars to take on Chicago’s best

PRINCETON — A group of All-Stars from the DePue Men’s Soccer League, including members of the Princeton Football Club, will band together to face Atletico Nacional, the Verizon and Governor’s Cup champions from Chicago, in a soccer exhibition 6 p.m. Aug. 6, at Zearing Park.

Princeton High School girls’ soccer coach and Princeton Football Club defenseman Ed Young organized the event with the help of the DePue Men’s League and Chicago Latin American League founder Rufino Cebellos.

Atletico Nacional will be bringing some top level talent to the exhibition, including international level players from Mexico and Brazil.

“They’re the best team in the Chicago Latin American league, and they’re one of the best teams in Chicago altogether,” Young said. “I know they’ve went out to California and had a lot of luck out there, and they’ve went to Mexico and played. They’re an international club team.”

Young said the game will provide an opportunity to see high level soccer up close and personal.

“Watching it on TV, you can tell how good players are, but when you see it in person and see the speed of play, it just blows you away,” Young said.

“I want to see all the kids in our community and area definitely heighten their understanding of the game.”

The DePue Men’s League features teams from Northern Illinois stretching from Streator to Sterling, including Princeton’s own Princeton Football Club, who play their home contests in the league at City-County Park.

Along with the exhibition contest, Nacional coach Narcizo Perez, who was a member of the Mexican National team, will also be holding a soccer camp Aug. 10-12 at a location in Princeton, yet to be determined.

Young hopes the exhibition and camp will help increase the local profile of soccer.

“For all the soccer players, boys and girls alike, and even the men’s league, I think it’s going to be a very exciting thing,” Young said. “To bring this to the community, I think it’s going to help bring excitement for the game.”

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